This week we’ve got a number of articles coming out that are designed to give you 5 best practices to stay safe on the road for different road users. The most popular form of transport on roads is in a car, so we’re starting with our car safety tips.
5 safety tips for drivers
1. Never drive a car if you believe it's unsafe to do so. You'll be responsible for operating the vehicle so if you think it's in a dangerous condition or you're impaired in any way then you shouldn't get behind the wheel.
2. Always wear your seatbelt and make sure all of your passengers are wearing theirs as well. You're legally responsible to ensure that all passengers under the age of 14 are in appropriate seatbelts.
3. Keep to the speed limit and remember it's the maximum speed and not a target. Various factors may mean it mightn't be safe to travel at the speed limit at all times, for example wet weather, reduced visibility and passing a slower road user will all need you to reduce your speed.
4. Leave plenty of space between you and the vehicle in front of you to give yourself more time to react if they do something you’re not expecting such as braking for a potential hazard you can’t see. You should give extra space to larger vehicles, lorries and buses, as they have a longer braking time and also if the weather is bad, since rain can significantly increase braking distance.
5. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted from the road. This includes looking at your phone, fiddling with the infotainment centre or by loud passengers or pets in the vehicle.
5 safety tips for passengers
1. Never get into a car if you think the driver is inebriated by alcohol or drugs, or you've concerns about the driver’s ability or the car’s condition. Make an excuse and arrange alternative transport.
2. Always wear your seatbelt. You're legally responsible for ensuring you're correctly buckled in (provided you aren't under 14 years old) and if you're involved in an accident a seatbelt can drastically reduce the risk of injury to yourself when worn correctly.
3. Sit in the seat properly, not only does this ensure your seatbelt is positioned correctly but it'll also help further reduce the risk of injury to yourself. For example, sitting with your feet on the dashboard can lead to the airbags forcing your knees into your face at high speed and cause injuries that you wouldn’t have if you sat with your feet on the floor.
4. Don’t distract the driver. They’re in charge of the vehicle you’re travelling in so you shouldn't try to take their attention away from the road, and if they ask you to stop doing something as it’s distracting them then do so.
5. Try not to block visibility for the driver. If you’re sitting in the front passenger seat then this might mean leaning backwards or forwards so the driver has better visibility at a junction or ducking down if you’re in the middle rear seat and the driver is reversing.
5 safety tips to keep you safe around cars
1. If you’re not travelling in a motor vehicle then you should make sure you're visible to them and other road users. This means wearing light or bright colours that make you more noticeable and having appropriate lights when it gets dark.
2. Know what you are and aren’t allowed to do. We recommend reading the Highway Code at least once a year as a refresher to make sure you know all rules that apply to you and road user etiquette.
3. Be cautious; even if you have right of way you need to be aware that if you're a pedestrian or cyclist you're more vulnerable if involved in an accident. Ensure you can perform a manoeuvre safely before executing it.
4. Make sure to look around you. Unless you’re crossing a flow of traffic it can be easy to be focused on where you're travelling but you should regularly take a look at the rest of your surroundings so that you know what's behind you and what might be passing you. This'll be especially important if your mode of transport doesn't have mirrors that allow you to do this while looking forward.
5. If you’re travelling with children you should make sure they know the rules of the road and try to keep them in the safest position on the road as possible.
We’ll be posting tomorrow with an article on pedestrian safety!